Seven Great Gender-Fluid Picture Books for Children

Karen Aleo

Managing Editor of Britannica for Parents
Karen has a master’s degree in education in curriculum and instruction from National Louis University. She is also the author and editor of several books for young readers.

Can boys wear pink? Can girls have short hair? These are just a few of the questions young children might ask as they develop their understandings of gender. Our recommendations for supporting children’s learning include a list of seven picture books that explore gender questions in open and inclusive ways.

What does it mean to be a boy or a girl? Learning about gender identity has always been a normal part of childhood, but in recent years, new research and understandings of gender have challenged some of our old ideas about parenting and early childhood education. Organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend supporting children’s explorations and expressions of gender from an early age. This means including nonbinary gender concepts in our conversations with children. Reading picture books that feature gender-fluid characters are a great way to start the conversations. (Someone who is gender-fluid does not identify with a fixed gender. Similar terms include gender nonconforming and gender creative.)

Picture Books that Represent Gender in Flexible Ways

Celebrating the uniqueness of all girls, this picture book goes beyond the superficial physical characteristics and the gender stereotypes. The illustrations are often a humorous juxtaposition of the text. For example, the text “Beautiful girls smell like flowers” is accompanied by an illustration of three little girls playing in the mud and planting flowers in a garden. The overall message is that we are beautiful for who we are on the inside.

This picture book tells the true story of activist Jazz Jennings, who was born a boy but identifies as a girl. Written from the perspective of someone who is transgender, this book can open up conversations and help families talk about how someone might come to identify as transgender and also support other people who are transgender.

Featuring a diverse cast of characters, Is That for a Boy or a Girl? directly challenges stereotypical notions of what boys and girls can wear, say, and do. Children will enjoy meeting each of the unique trailblazers introduced on these pages.

Author and illustrator Jessica Love has won awards and high praise for this groundbreaking picture book, Julián Is a Mermaid. Julián is a young boy who sees three women stunningly dressed up as mermaids. He wants to dress as a mermaid too, and the story follows his creative path to finding his own look. Beautiful illustrations and the depth of emotion demonstrated by the characters make this one a standout.

Pink Is for Boys (and for girls) makes it clear that all colors are for both genders. It removes stereotypes by showing both boys and girls in a variety of settings, such as dressing up, playing baseball, and more. The book makes clear that colors and activities are not gender specific.

Sami the Giraffe loves to wear high-heel shoes. He has a different pair for every activity he enjoys. What happens when the herd doesn’t approve? Read this picture book to see if Sami can change their minds.

When a blue crayon is mislabeled as a red crayon, he tries his best to be red. But deep down he knows he is not a red crayon. Michael Hall uses crayon color as a metaphor for not fitting in, creating a story that will resonate with many children.

Start Small

Children begin developing their own gender identity and their broader understandings of gender at a very young age. Around age two, children become aware of physical differences between boys and girls. Most children have a strong sense of their gender identity by the time they are four years old, but for some children, their gender identity will still be developing. As children grow older, they may become more aware of gender stereotypes, such as the misconceptions that ballet is for girls and football is for boys.

Children who feel their gender identity is different from the norms they see all around them may experience anxiety. It’s important for parents, teachers, and other role models to demonstrate flexibility and openness to nonbinary gender roles and representations.

Reading gender-fluid picture books together is a wonderful opportunity to begin talking about gender roles and gender identity. For example, after reading one of these books, a parent might ask, “What kinds of feelings do you think this character was having?” and “Have you ever felt that way too?” Keep in mind that learning about and exploring gender identity takes time. These topics are too big to fit into just one conversation. But by reading inclusive picture books with your child, you are demonstrating your acceptance of others and your openness to future conversations and explorations.